Device for drawing tendons from the legs of poultry.



Patented Jan. 28, I902. B. W. SMALL.

DEVICE FOR DRAWING TENDDNS FROM THE LEGS 0F POULTRY.

(Application filed May 27, 1901.)

(No Model.)

NlTF STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OF ONE-HALF TO J. FRANK ADAMS, OF WATERTONVN, MASSACHUSETTS.

DEVICE FOR DRAWING TENDONS FROM THE LEGS OF POULTRY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,214, dated January 28, 1902.

Application filed May 27, 1901. Serial No- 62,023. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN W. SMALL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of NVest Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Drawing Tendons from the Legs of Poultry, of which the following is a specification.

It is a well-known fact that a tu rkeys leg has a number of long stout tendons running up the length thereof on both the front and back sides, which, if not removed before the turkey is cooked, are very disagreeable and inconvenient to the person who may desire to remove the meat from the leg, especially so as cooking hardens the tendons. For this reason it has become customary for butchers to pull out these tendons when they dress a turkey. The usual method of doing this has been to slit the skin along the leg with a knife midway between the foot and the legjoint, then insert a skewer or hook under the tendons through the slit and draw them out from the fleshy part of the leg above the joint by pulling on the hook or skewer. the tendons grow into the foot in such a way that they cannot be drawn therefrom, they will always be drawn from the fleshy part of the leg. Although it requires considerable strength to draw the tendons from the leg, yet they will give way in the leg before they will break.

The above-described method of removing the tendons takes considerable time, and, moreover, it is a very awkward and difficnlt operation to perform, for the reason that the tendons are usually so firmly grown in the fleshy part of the leg, especially in the case of an old turkey, that they cannot be drawn out with a direct pull by this method; but the skewer or the hook must be twisted around and around until the tendons gradually give way before they can be pulled out. It usually happens, moreover, that only four or five of the seven long tendons which are in a turkeys leg are drawn out when this method is employed.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device which will enable a person to remove quickly and easily the seven longtendons which arein a turkeys leg without the use of skewer, knife, hook, or similar instrument. I accomplish this object by providing a fixed projecting finger, over which the bone of the leg below the joint may be broken, in connection with a device which cooperates with this finger in such a manner that it will hold the foot of the turkey while the person is pulling downwardly upon the fleshy part of the leg.

For a more definite understanding of my invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1, 2, and 3 are respectively side, top, and front elevations of the preferred form of my device. Figs. 4 and 5 are front and side views, respectively, of the device in position with the leg of a fowl in the position in which it is placed in drawing out the tendons. Figs. 6 and 7 are front and side elevations of a modified form of my device.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, l, and 5, which show the preferred form of my device, the base 1 is provided with two projecting legs 2 and 3 at the top and bottom, which are of unequal length, so that when the base is secured to the wall it will set at an angle thereto, as shown in Fig. 5. Three fingers 4, 5, and 6 project substantially perpendicularly from the face of said base, the fingers 4 and 5 being located substantially on a level with each other and the finger 6 being located above the finger 4 and at the opposite side from finger 5. The relative positions of the fingers shown in the drawings I have found to be the best for all purposes; but these positions may be varied to a certain extent without impairing the usefulness of the device. The ends of fingers 4 and 5 are preferably provided with short projecting lugs 7 and 8 on their upper sides, and the finger 6 is provided with a lug 9 at its end on its lower side. The fingers 4 and 5 are preferably made with comparatively sharp edges on their upper sides, and the finger 5 is made but little more than half the length of finger 4. Fingers 4L and 6 are of substantially the same length.

The manner of using the above device is as follows: The leg of the turkey,below thejoint, is passed between said fingers 4 and 6, with its flat sides next the fingers, and the joint end is then pulled downwardly, forcing the sides of the leg into firm engagement therewith. The leg is then broken over finger 4 at a point a short distance below the joint. As the fleshy part of the leg is pulled downwardly after the leg is broken the skin over the bone will also be broken, and as the finger 5 is much shorter than finger 4 the tendons may be readily drawn against the side of latter. The continued pulling causes the bone to slide down the inclined finger 4; until it is opposite finger 5 and also causes the tendons to tear away the skin from the bone below the break toward the foot and draw the bone to the right until its end slides over finger 5, as shown in Fig. 4. The bevel on the side of finger 5 allows the broken end of the bone to slide freely up over said finger. The longitudinal movement of the leg will soon be stopped by the upper finger 6, and the leg will be supported by fingers 4 and 5. The continued pulling on the fleshy part of the leg will result in the tendons becoming disengaged therefrom, so that they will be drawn out and left hanging to the foot. It will be seen that with my device the breaking of the leg and drawing of the tendons is substantially one continuous act, which is very quickly accomplished. After the tendons have been drawn the part of the broken legbone below the joint will be cut off.

The lugs or projections on the ends of the fingers, together with the inclined position of the latter, prevent all possibility of the leg slipping over the end of the fingers during the act ofdrawing the tendons, and, moreover, by forming the base with the lower legs 3 much longer than the upper legs 2 the bottom of the base is thrown outwardly, so that more room to hold the turkey is afforded while pulling down, as shown in Fig. 5.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7 I provide a single fixed finger 10, corresponding to finger 4, above described, and a pivoted plate 11, which is provided with a flange 12, which projects laterally therefrom and is so curved and arranged that its lower surface is gradually brought closer to finger 10 as said plate 11 is swung to the right. A spring 13 acts constantly to throw the plate 11 to the left. In using this form of my invention the leg is placed between the flange 12 and finger 10 and the bone broken over the latter, as before described. As the fleshy part of the leg is pulled downward the foot part will slide over finger 10, drawing plate 11 with it, so that the foot will become firmly wedged between said finger and curved flange, holding the same securely, so that the tendons may be drawn out, as previously described in reference to the first form of my invention.

After the tendons have been drawn spring 13 will swing plate 11 back to its original position.

The above modification is disclosed simply to show that my invention is not limited to the precise form shown in Figs. 1 to 5, but that various changes may be made therefrom Without departing from the spirit of my invention. I however prefer the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, for the reason that the whole device may be easily cast in one piece.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. A device for the purpose described consisting of two fingers which are secured to a common base and project outwardly therefrom in the same direction, one of said fingers being arranged above and at one side of the other and closely adjacent thereto, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A device for the purpose described consisting of two fixed projecting fingers which are arranged side by side in the same horizontal plane, and a third fixed finger which is arranged substantially parallel to, above, and at one side thereof all of said fingers being secured to a common base, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A device for the purpose described consisting of two fixed projecting fingers which are arranged side by side in the same horizontal plane, one of said fingers being materially shorter than the other, and a holding device which is arranged adjacent to the longer of said fingers, said parts being secured to a common base and being adapted and arranged to cooperate in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

4. A device for the purpose described consisting of two fixed projecting fingers which are arranged side by side in the same horizontal plane, one of said fingers being materially shorter than the other and being beveled. on the upper side thereof next the other finger, and a holding device which is arranged adjacent to the longer of said fingers, said parts being secured to a common base and being adapted and arranged to cooperate in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

5. A device for the purpose described consisting of a base having three fingers which are fixed thereto and project therefrom, two of said fingers being arranged side by side on the same level, and having upwardly-projecting lugs at their outer ends, and said third finger being arranged above and at one side of one of said fingers and having a downwardly-projecting lug at its outer end, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. A device for the purpose described consisting of a base having legs at its upper and lower ends, said legs being materially shorter at its upper than at its lower end, and a pair of fingers which extend vertically from the surface of said base, one of said fingers being arranged above, at one side of, and adjacent the other, whereby said fingers will assume an inclined position when said base is secured in position, said fingers being adapted to cooperate as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN W. SMALL.

Witnesses:

J. FRANK ADAMS, LOUIs H. HARRIMAN. 

